


You’d Have Been So Proud

by uncouth_peasant



Series: Make Them Proud [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura (Voltron) is a mess, But this takes place while he is technically Shiro, Coran (Voltron) is a Mess, Hunk (Voltron) is a Mess, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Kuron isn’t really a factor, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Maybe - Freeform, Pidge | Katie Holt is a Mess, Please read the first work!, Proud AU, Self-Sacrifice, Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, So let’s say that the Shiro that returns the first time is Shiro ok, it’s Lance, tags to be updated, team pov, whatd you expect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:29:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27708376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uncouth_peasant/pseuds/uncouth_peasant
Summary: Continuation to “Proud”This is the team’s reaction to Lance’s capture, their search for him, and the tragic reality of their success.
Relationships: Allura & Coran & Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, Allura & Lance (Voltron), Coran & Lance (Voltron), Hunk & Lance (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron), Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt, Lance & Shiro (Voltron)
Series: Make Them Proud [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2008024
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	You’d Have Been So Proud

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! .
> 
> So I know that I”m literally in the middle of two other fics, but I needed a break to recollect my thoughts and the one I need to be working on requires some time and rewatching that I don’t have the ability to do at the moment. This fic is in response to requests that I make a team reaction chapter to “Proud”. If you haven’t read it, you might want to. That story is the reason this one matters. I was going to just add a chapter on and have the aftermath, but I also left a lot in that story purposefully ambiguous and I didn’t want to ruin the emotions that I managed because I don’t write sad well and I was surprised that it actually worked. The point of “Proud” is that I gave Lance a big bad vacation in the arena and a child to protect. The team wasn’t the focus. This way, we can have a fic solely dedicated to the team and that delicious angst you guys like so much:)  
> And I really wanted to make a series but that’s not the point aNYWAYS
> 
> This story is going to be an explanation of everything Lance glossed over; the battle, the three weeks, the team dynamic at the castle, and yes, the aftermath.
> 
> I may also write an alternate ending to Proud. That will be a conversation for later (because I’ll need input on how alternate the ending should be). However later= once I finish “My Paladin Not Safe”, “Please (Don’t) Leave Me”, and this stupid fic.
> 
> My beta was Me at 12:35. I’m not promising anything that makes sense. Sorry.
> 
> I don’t own any of the Voltron characters, lingo, jargon, nostaliga, fun, marketing, ANY of it. But I do own the bad characterizations and wonky science SO
> 
> Enjoy!

**_Coran_ **

No one in the Castle was ever surprised by the risks that came with the mantle of Paladin of Voltron. No one batted an eye when they came back from battles scraped and bruised. No one was shocked by the night terrors that plagued all Castle occupants.

Team Voltron had undergone some extensive changes. They were still a family. They were still in this until the end. But Keith had decided that his talents were best put to use with the Blades of Marmora. No one faulted him for that-- he still would call in every week or so and seemed like he was having the time of his life. He said he missed Voltron, but the Blade were treating him well. Last they’d heard he was going on a deep undercover assignment with another Blade member. He was very excited.

And then they’d had the debacle with getting Shiro back. The Black Paladin had been quiet since escaping from Galra captivity, but he seemed happy to be home.

Currently, Shiro was back to leading Voltron with Lance by his side in the Red Lion, Allura in the Blue Lion, and Pidge and Hunk in the Green and Yellow Lions respectively. 

Voltron was as strong as it’d ever been. The Coalition was thriving in the wake of Coran’s  _ genius _ idea of the Live Voltron Events. Team morale was up with Shiro back and Keith staying in contact. The Castle was abuzz with life and friendship.

They were in a war, and they were all they had. 

No one would ever refute that life wasn’t always easy. No one could say that Voltron hadn’t faced terrible challenges. 

But they’d never had to face something like this.

Sweat dripped down Coran’s forehead as he assessed the panicked cries of his team-- his  _ family--  _ as the battle raged around them. 

_ “Hunk, watch your six!” _ Pidge cried. Sounds of an explosion followed, and a breathless  _ “thanks, Pidge.” _

“Paladins,” Coran grit out, “our current plan isn’t working. We need a new tactic.”

_ “Coran’s right,” _ Shiro agreed.  _ “Team, converge on me. We need Voltron.” _

_ “Shiro, there’s no way we can all evade these guys long-enough to form Voltron. It’s not going to work,”  _ Lance argued. Coran checked the screen to his left.

Lance was right. All across the screen, Coran could see countless purple dots, countless hostiles swarming around the divided Voltron Lions.

_ “Lance, we need Voltron. What other choice do we have?” _ Shiro responded.

_ “I know we need Voltron, Shiro. But we need a way to buy ourselves a second or else we’re toast.” _

“Perhaps if the Castle drew some fire,” Coran mused quietly.

_ “No, no way,” _ Lance disagreed.

_ “The Castle’s taking way too much damage as it is, Coran. But you’re right; we need something to draw all this fire,” _ Allura declared. 

_ “Guys!” _ Hunk squeaked out.  _ “There are Galran Battle Cruisers charging up their weapons. We need to think of something fast.” _

_ “I’ve got an idea!” _ Pidge called.  _ “Wait for my signal!” _

_ “Pidge- what-”  _ Shiro started. A bright Green circle appeared in the middle of battle, oscillating tauntingly and glowing in a blinding light. Immediately, all hostile attention shifted towards the apparition. 

_ “Go go go!” _ the Green Paladin yelled. Not needing any more urging, Coran watched as all the larger dots on the display began to converge towards each other, ready to end things.

Then it all went wrong.

One of the cruisers got wise and turned their sights towards the distracted source of the green light. Coran was about to call out a warning, already setting the castle weapons upon the dastardly cruiser. He knew he would be too late, that Number Five wasn’t going to be able to dodge in time, but he had to  _ try-- _

_ “PIDGE WATCH OUT!” _

Oh Alfor.

No no no no _ no no no-- _

_ “LANCE!” _

Coran looked up just in time to see a sharp beam of light pierce through the empty space. The Green Lion curled up, making to dodge in vain. Lance and the Red Lion whipped forward with the boy’s cry, blocking the blast’s path of destruction. 

The beam tore through the pilot’s cabin and launched the Lion away toward the planet they were currently defending. Castle scans said that it was home to the peaceful Diotxums, a race not unlike one of those earth “octopi” that Number Three and Five were so fond of. But rather than requiring an aquatic environment, this species favored rocky climates and spent their days hunting for flubertiums in the craggy landscape with their long claws and easy temperament.

The Lion’s eyes were dark, the distinctive dot disappearing from Coran’s display as she hurtled towards the planet. Voltron’s members cried out over the screaming in their comms as their brother fell. Coran did nothing.

He couldn’t.

This wasn’t happening.

Not now.

Not to Lance.

The boy who’d already given so much to this war. He couldn’t… not after they’d all given so much. 

Not when  _ Coran _ had already given too much to this war.

This  _ quiznaking  _ war.

_ “Does anyone have eyes on the Red Lion?!” _ Allura screamed.

_ “I can’t reach him! Lance! Lance, we’re coming, buddy!”  _ Hunk cried. Shiro roared wordlessly. Coran watched, deathly silent, as the Black dot on his display shot towards where the red dot had disappeared.

_ “He’s falling too fast! We won’t get to him in time!” _

If Shiro didn’t pull up soon, they’d likely lose the Black Paladin to the same situation, Coran realized.

Lance wouldn’t allow that if he were in Coran’s position.

He’d never forgive Coran.

Coran couldn’t let that happen.

They couldn’t rescue Lance if they were falling themselves.

“Number One, you need to pull up,” Coran said through dry lips. He hated himself for it, hated that he was the reason his family was bristling now. That they were angry because of his words.

_ “Coran, what do you mean?! He’s going to crash!”  _ Pidge raged.

“And so will Shiro if he doesn’t  _ pull. Up. Now,”  _ Coran argued. “We can’t save Lance if you all throw yourselves headfirst into a decision! The Blue Lion is the best built for situations like these. Allura, find a way to the planet. The rest of us will take care of this battle.

“Until then, we have to trust that Lance is okay.”

*******

**_Allura_ **

Allura could scarcely think, scarcely  _ breathe _ , through the panic lancing through her mind as Blue rocketed toward the planet Diotx. She’d once visited when she was young, and remembered with terror the rocky and unforgiving the land was. No matter how agreeable and kind the Dioxtums were, there was no question that a crash landing on  _ any- _

_ Focus, Allura! Stars, what would your father think?! _

Allura shook her head angrily, pretending that she wasn’t blinking away her fear and anger. She was in control. She was the princess of Altea and her team was counting on her. 

She could do this. 

She could get to Lance.

A cacophonous sound filled her ears, Allura clenching her jaw angrily and pointedly ignoring the stray tear tracing down her cheek as all sound suddenly cut off. 

The Red Lion had crashed. 

_ “LANCE!” _ Hunk cried out. 

_ “Fall back, team!”  _ Shiro commanded.  _ “Let’s end this. Allura, focus on getting down there- watch out for hostiles!” _

Oh stars.

There were Galrans on the planet.

If Allura didn’t hurry, they’d have no trouble taking the Red Lion and her pilot--

Allura slammed a button on her console, attempting to establish a connection with the Red Lion.

“Lance?” she asked the answering static. “Lance, I’m coming to get you. Don’t move,  _ please _ , don’t move. I’m almost there, just--”

_ “...’Llura?”  _ Allura gasped at the shaky, but very much alive, answer. Her hands gripped the controls in a white-knuckle hold.

“Lance, Stay where you are. I’m almost too you-!”

_ “No… no you’re not.” _

“I beg your pardon? Lance, I’ve locked onto your Lion- you got the tracker up and running- great job. I’ve nearly reached it just  _ stay there.” _

_ “Allura you-  _ gah- _ you need to listen. I hid the Red Lion as best as I can. You need to- hah, ow,- take the red Lion then ge-get back to the others--” _

“Lance I’m coming to get you  _ and  _ the Red Lion. Turn back  _ now!”  _ Allura blustered, scarcely believing what she was hearing. What was he doing?

There was a wet chuckle.  _ “Allura, I managed to land in this random bog- there are Galrans on my tail and I couldn’t let them find Red- I  _ can’t _ let them find Red. You have to get to her. I’ll be fine.” _

“Lance, you’re hurt--”

_“I’m_ fine,” he bit out. _“But the others aren’t. G- get back up there. I have my bayard. I’ll be here when you get back.”_

Allura caught sight of the Red Lion ahead. Lance was right- he’d managed to hit probably the only body of water for miles. She fought an astonished shake of her head. Only Lance.

The Red Lion was half-submerged, flora and fauna sloppily but deliberately draped over her to hide the bright red paint. Allura took half a second to admire that her father and his advisors thought that painting the Lions bright colors was the best course of action for a war. She wasn’t one to question King Alfor’s judgment- she missed his steady logic and ease in conflict, but surely there were better alternatives to  _ this. _

Shaking her head once more, Allura steading Blue over the waterlogged Lion, preparing to lift the lifeless ship. As Red rose from the water, Allura could better see the gaping hole in her pilot’s cabin. The pilot’s seat was completely charred, a section of it blown away entirely. The princess’ stomach dropped at the realization that no way was Lance okay. She’d known he wouldn’t be-  _ why had she believed him you stupid, stupid girl! _

Some princess she was.

Allura grit her teeth, biting back an angry word as she opened a comms channel with Lance again. “Lance, I’m with the Red Lion! Where are you- I can come right now!”

_ “--Alur-a-- Go!-- I’m pin--d dow-”  _ Static filled Allura’s ears. 

“Lance?!”

A click sounded. Lance was opening his comms to the others. The others must have heard the familiar click from the blue armor because Pidge yelped a panicked _ “Lance?! Where are you?!” _

_ “--RUN- I can’t- not sa- be okay--- love yo- guys---” _

There was a sound like a gunshot. Then the connection cut.

_ “Allura, what’s going on?!” _ Shiro asked, sounding far from the composed, calm leader they all knew. Not that Allura could blame him.

“I can’t find him! He left the Red Lion in a bog. I got to her location, Lance could be anywhere by now!”

_ “Have you seen any Galra?” _ Hunk fretted.

“Not so far.”

_ “Did Lance say anything to you, Allura?” _ Coran asked. 

“He said that he couldn’t let them get to Red, so he hid her in the bog they landed in and ran off. There were Galrans following him. He told me to get Red back to the Castle and he’d be fine until we found him.”

PIdge swore angrily.  _ “And you didn’t go after him?! You chose the Red Lion over Lance?!” _

“I did no such thing!” Allura fired back. “I grabbed the Red Lion to keep Lance’s attention on his own survival. I am not abandoning Lance and I will not have any of you ever believing that we will leave Lance on this quiznaking planet!”

There was a quiet pause. Then:  _ “Sorry, Allura.” _

“It’s alright, Pidge. I’m angry, too.”

_ “Coran, is there any way for us to track his suit?”  _ Hunk asked breathlessly, Shiro biting out a warning to watch his back. 

The battle wasn’t slowing.

They were losing.

Allura needed to get back up to the fight.

But… she couldn’t leave Lance.

They  _ couldn’t  _ leave Lance. 

Pidge cried out as Green took what sounded like a nasty hit. 

_ “What’s going on up there?” _ Allura demanded.

_ “They’re doubling their efforts! We’re being overrun!”  _ Shiro responded.

Hunk yelled angrily as crashing filled Allura’s comms. Coran yelped as alarms blared.

They needed help. 

Allura pulled Blue up, whispering a quiet “I’m so sorry” to Lance as she soared towards her family. 

***

Coran noticed first.

_ “Allura, what are you doing?!”  _

“You know that Lance would never forgive me if I let you all die going trying to find him!”

_ “Allura, I swear if you don’t turn your ass around and get that damn Red Paladin  _ **_right now-_ ** _ ” _

_ “Pidge,”  _ Hunk interrupted tearfully.  _ “You know she’s right.” _

_ “So what, Hunk?! We- we  _ abandon _ Lance, knowing that he’s being pursued by Galrans?! Is that what we’re supposed to do?!” _

“Pidge,” Allura warned, knowing that her anger wasn’t really aimed toward any of them.

_ “That can’t be our only option here, guys!”  _ Pidge pleaded. Allura angrily wiped at her cheeks as Blue broke the atmosphere, rocketing towards the castle to drop off the still downed Red Lion. 

Hunk sobbed.

Pidge swore.

Coran was terrifyingly silent. 

_ “Allura, get here as quick as you can. The sooner we finish this battle, the sooner we can find Lance and yell at him about pulling a stunt like this,” _ Shiro growled, although it was all for show. They all heard the way his voice shook.  _ “We can do this!” _

*******

**_Pidge_ **

Pidge may tease him for it, but Shiro could give a damn good pep talk. Once Allura managed to rejoin the battle, they were able to wrap it up fairly quickly. The Galra had exhausted most of their resources trying to exhaust the Lions of Voltron. Even one Lion down (Pidge was so going to kill that self-sacrificing idiot when they got him back), the Galrans didn’t stand a chance against four angry Paladins.

Pidge thought that Lance would be impressed. She’d have to recount it to him back at the Castle.

“Is there any way to get a read from Lance’s suit?” she asked the moment Shiro destroyed the last fighter. 

_ “I’ve tried everything I could think of!”  _ Coran answered, sounding so unlike his usual, composed self that Pidge found herself momentarily speechless.

Pidge gnawed on her lip, a nervous habit she’d picked up at the Garrison. “What about his last… most recent comm link connection? Any way we can track where he was when he opened his comms?”

_ “That’s a great idea, Pidge!”  _ Hunk cheered, a little  _ too  _ cheerily. At least he was trying his best. That was all they could ask of him.  _ “Coran, what do you think?” _

All four Lions were already spreading out, soaring across the skies of the recently rescued planet. Allura was sending transmissions to the leaders of the Dio… Dior…Dioxide? Doctopuses, yeah, asking for their aid in searching for Lance. 

There had been no contact from the missing Paladin since the last staticky message. 

_ “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that, Number Five! That should work!” _

Pidge grinned as Green soared over empty canyons and endless rocky plains. Coran talked her and the other Paladins through setting up a signal scan on each of their lions, the logic being that they’d have a better chance of actually getting a read with the high-quality/high-range scanners the lions were already equipped with and would have an easier time reaching Lance because they’d already be near him. The scanners worked by testing radio waves in the air, searching for remnants of Lance’s signal. By finding leftover waves, the program within the scanners could then pinpoint the fairly exact location of where he was when he sent it. It wasn’t an exact science, and Pidge was fairly certain that in earth-science terms, the idea was completely insane, but with Lance’s armor offline, and the team being in the middle of a battle, there had been no available system to get a lock on his armor before or after he’d been hit. 

Coran also mentioned something about the comm frequencies of the Lions being specific enough that certain rock formations would hang on to them? And continue to bounce the signal back and forth between themselves? Pidge was absolutely boggled by that one, too. 

Maybe it was an alien thing?

Frankly, she didn’t care. All Pidge knew was that it would (should) work and that it was their only hope to finding Lance.

After five doboshes, Pidge was starting to get impatient. 

After ten, she was getting desperate. The others were, too. Pidge could hear their frustrated sighs and muffled swears; whispered pleas and breathless hope whenever a stray signal came through. That last one only happened once or twice, but that didn’t make it any less shattering.

Pidge thought she’d caught a stray signal like the others when her display lit up bright green. She bit her lip, not wanting to make a sound until she was sure.

She scanned again.

Green display.

Signal found.

“Lance!” she exclaimed, excitement bubbling over in her as the others immediately reacted in kind, sending reassurances that they were coming her way.

Pidge landed Green faster than she could ever recall, already bounding down the ramp the moment they touched down. “Lance! Lance, I’m here!”

No response.

_ “Anything?”  _ Hunk questioned shakily.

PIdge shook her head, forgetting that the team couldn’t see that. “I can’t find him anywhere.” She turned to her left, spotting a sturdy looking stack of rocks and scampering up them. “Lance!” Pidge called. “Lance, where are you?!”

No answer.

Pidge tapped her helmet, signaling her scanner (the helmets were affixed with a more close-ranged version of the scanner that had gotten Pidge to this area) to focus on the area below. Being close as she possibly was, Pidge also asked the program to scan for armor. 

It fixated on an area just beyond her vision, roughly fifty feet away where a dip in the ground sat. There was an armor match, too. PIdge swallowed worriedly, hopping down and quickly (but safely because she was tired of being lectured by Shiro for not “looking before she leaps”) making her way to where the scanner indicated.

“Lance!” she cried again. “Lance, this isn’t funny! Where are you?”

Lance wouldn’t joke about this. She knew this. Lance was a goof. But he was a reliable goof and she knew that he’d go to the ends of the universe for the team; his “Space Family”.

_ “Pidge, I’m nearly to you. What’s going on?” _ Shiro questioned.

“My scanner’s saying he’s here! It found his armor and everything!”

_ “But…” _ Hunk began. Pidge shook her head as she continued forward.

“He’s not answering.”

The conversation dulled in Pidge’s ears, the Green Paladin distantly aware that the rest of her family were talking now. She couldn’t add to it, couldn’t respond.

Not right then.

All she could do was stare at the broken helmet, sitting in a small crater. And by small, she means a Lance-sized crater. All around her lay the bodies of Galra soldiers, neat holes decorating their torsos. Whatever happened here, Lance hadn’t been quiet about it.

She would have proud if not for the halved helmet she held in her hands.

Pidge choked on a breath.

“Guys,” she whispered. All conversation stopped. Footsteps thudded behind her, Pidge recognizing Shiro’s step pattern immediately but not bothering to look up as he skidded to a stop next to where she sat, kneeling over the bloodstained visor and broken hopes.

She looked up when he put a hand on her shoulder. Pidge desperately blinked back tears, and Shiro didn’t bother when she gasped out, “We were too late.”

**Author's Note:**

> Bum Bum Buuuummm
> 
> So you’ve probably noticed that already I’ve given more information that you got previously. Lance never mentioned hiding the Red Lion in a bog, or running from Galran soldiers. The reason: Lance had way bigger things on his mind than running through how exactly he got here (and I decided I wanted more self-sacrificing idiocy). So bear with me. A lot of stuff is going to be better explained (and dramatized) throughout this if it continues. Honestly I”m not entirely sold on the idea, but I’d love to know if you like the idea of an entire story dedicated to the team finding Lance!
> 
> Let me know your ideas. Why did it take them over 21 quintants to find Lance? What held them up? Will Keith come back to help? 
> 
> We’ll have to find out!
> 
> Stay safe, guys:)
> 
> Peasant out!


End file.
